PIAC responded to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (the Commission) consultation on Draft Guidelines on Part XICA – Prohibited Conduct in the energy market.
PIAC supports the intent of the Guidelines to prohibit certain uncompetitive conduct in the energy market, but are concerned they do not go far enough in preventing unfair and uncompetitive retail pricing practices and are very difficult to enforce.
We recommend the treatment of the costs of supplying electricity should be changed so that reductions in retailer costs as well as wholesale, network and environmental costs must be passed onto consumers.
We support aspects of the Guidelines that support competition in the wholesale and contract liquidity markets but consider enforcing prohibitions on certain conduct may be extremely difficult.
Reducing unfair fines and over-policing from alcohol-free zones